Adjustable metal straightener and anvil



Jan- 15, 1952 R. A. PETERSON ET AL 2,582,560

ADJUSTABLE METAL STRAIGHTENER AND NVIL Filed June 27, 1947 yig@ Patented Jan. 15, 1952 ADJUSTABLE METAL STRAIGHTENER AND ANVIL Russell A. Peterson, Berkeley, and Lewis` J.. Howell, v

, Oakland, Calif.

Application June 27, 1947, Serial No. 757,494.

The present linvention relates'to the art of working malleable metals and relates particular ly to apparatus of novel construction whereby buckled sections and dents lin sheet metal panels can be eliminated and the smooth contour of the panel restored without the necessity of separating the metal panel from attachment with its base structure for rolling and smoothing.

More particularly, the invention contemplates mechanical forcing means designed to facilitate insertion into hollow bodies such as automobile door compartments, body recesses and the like and which exerts pressure'outwardly to force a deformed inwardly extending section back into substantially its original plane. Still more particularly the invention relates to means for exerting expansive force which can be inserted in the narrow spacebetween vthe internal frame structure of an automobile door and the outside metal skin surface of the door.

It has heretofore been the practice when automobiles have been in accidents, and the metal surfacevof the doors have been dented or buckled, to remove the door bodily for disassembly. The metal skin section is usually then removed from the door and the smooth contour of the deformity reestablished by rolling orby beating out the dents with rubber mallets. This mode of operation is expensive because of the time required for disassembly, Working the metal and then reassembling the door.- In addition, the automobile cannot be operated safely while the door is removed. Y

One object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide means for restoring smooth contour to met-a1 surfaces in a minimum of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for restoring smoothcontour to metal surfaces without separating or Aremoving the damaged section from its associated structure.

Another object ofthe invention -is to provide compact means, for exerting vexpansive force, capable of insertion through a constricted access opening of a hollow space between Wall surfaces.,A one Wall of which is a malleable metal, as for example in the structure ofan. automobile door.

Another object of the inventionis to provide means for introducing controlled expansive force into remote and difiicultly accessible places.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means, in a device of the character described, for exerting a maximum of force .withr a minimum of stress on the operating parts of the device.

VStill another object of the invention. is to 2 claims. (cl. azi- 715)` provide an adjustable force exerting member free from bearings or pivot pins which .might ybe damaged by excessive shear stresses during application of abnormal pressure to the malleable metal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light weight, portable and adjustable reforming anvil capable of withstanding the shock of hammering without serious danger to its operating parts.l y

The invention possesses other objects and fea.- tures of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations inthe showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims. f

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus vof this. invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view thereof taken along the line2-2 of v"Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus,

Figure 4 is a side view of in elevation of a device embodying features of the present invention.

Briefly stated the present invention compre` hends a compact apparatus having a moving arm retractable to a position substantially par-v..

allel to a base, allowing for insertion of the apparatus into a compartment through a constricted access opening. When inserted into the compartment, the apparatus can be adjustably positioned by supporting lines and the moving arm extended 'into contact with a wall surface of the compartment while maintaining the degreeA of pressure exerted against the wall under absolute control.

pivot means,l a pivotable member acting in cooperation with thi-s pivot means, a channel guidehaving a face I2 which is sumciently fiat or machinecl` to provide a smooth bearing` surface.

This compact apparatus com-- prises a base, one end of which serves asa xedv The head member I has a shoulder I3 extending around two sides and the bottom of the former, composed of two right angled surfaces I3a, and I3b. The underside of the head member I0 is provided with a transversely extending arcuate recess I4 and adapted to cooperate with a spreader arm unita40,.hereinafter,described. ,Theconcave surface portion; I5: of the arcuates'recess14a-ter'- minates at the aforesaid shoulder surface'l'3b.

The convex surface I6 of the recess I4 joins a.N

convex surface I 'I in forming a continuous" rounded male hinge element whchzterminates 'apparatus from its operating handle.

at the nat top surface I l of head member lo. 'me head member I0 is additionallyprovided with a` bore I9 extending therethrough perpendicularlyrj to the face I2.

Mounted on the head member'. I,i so.aslto.'form" 'suitable connectors 62 andV 63 respectively for attachmentffo'fadjustable length suspending elea press fit at the shoulders I3 is a guide channel of suitable thickness and external shape but:

shown here as a channel'with side walls 2l and k'Ili'eichanr-iel"is'closedatltheeend-by1asuitable" wall 12H32.; preferably "formed" integra-ll'y-v therewith. The yc'sharinelI Zl|` may-be-V additionally secured--` tol the-head!`member 'I-0` tofform a semi-permanent base unit, by suitable attaching means suchfas screws if vdesired-L "Thee-Wall 23`-` is breached byean aperture 2"4fwhich is inaxialf a-lignment With-'the'A b'oreiISiof the'headmember Ill.`

"Seated in` theV guidech'annel lIl'is Vtraveling means 3Q such as a dolly for which the-channel forxnseafv runway'jand guide; The dolly V3l? is -provided^with aY bore 3I5-arranged'fcoaxially with'ftheA alpeitture2`4`foff'the wall 23 kand the boreflS of:v tlfe'liea'dA memberY ID. Saidbore 3l* is'internallyr threaded' atf' 3,2 for" cooperation with' actua-tingI means, Ellv hereinafter described; v'Ihedolly 3`il' is: pr/oyi'dedwith` suitable bearingelements, for'fexampiethre'ecircular seats or sockets 33, and'f 3'5po'sitione'dftransversely to the axis of bore 3f;

the socket 33 being-substantiallyj enclosedinth'e' bottom thereof. Journaled forrotation in said soeketsarev rollers 36, 3T, and 3f8`respectively.

The spreader arm or adjustablela-nvil unit'r40; as iilustrated'in'Figures 1, 2'and4 3, comprises a flat-bottomed member'l 4 I? composed of threesec tions 42, 43 "and" 44. In-the illustrated form of tliei' inventionV the section 42` is arrangedl with a hook: 45 adapted to vvt in tiie-arcuaterecessvv I4 and with ,the conformingy recessed hinge surface5f4`6 afdapted'to" cooperate -with the protruding^ suru face 'informing `ahingek permittingrelative move-- mentbetween theparts.v A slot' '4l `is provi'ddin'- thehook `4'5 in axialalignment with theboref-Ir o fbaseel'ement I0; Thelthroat section 43` is' of tapering; thickness and width. The section- 44? which'` contacts the member to be straightened isv preferablyfcf tear drop'- design longitudinally and,

as'jil-lustrated in Figure '23f'dome-shaped laterally.y

TfreLsection 4"4also`` is of`great`er widthvthanchan-f nelfZlan'd isfequippedwith depending sides .1 or

flanges 48lwhih.'inlcooperatiomwith yside-walls 12I,

22?andzoficlianneflo enclose the moving parts except{when}4 tliespreader i arm: is in a; "substanitiliSY-wideopenposition.

Thefdbllyl3, '.mountediiinthe .clfianneljV Ill;l isi actuated by'horizontallylt extending moving means siichasfshaft 5U. .'Thefshaftgi'lis composed ofzve seutionsffi v53, 54A and@b 55' and: is fjournaled;` in` thelendwall'23fand head'mernber H3. T-hefsection 5I of shaft 50'isfan integrallyformed head of largendiameter -than thelead; screw; Tfheisection S-s al shortrandfunthreadedi portionfjjournaled in'fthapenmrefui The section 53 isfthexthreaded:

Generally'it is desirable to be able to x the len'rrgiilar position of the anvil with respect to the metal panel. dent. Vlor this purpose, the head member "IU and'cliannel 20 are provided'with ments ,(4,.such as chains, cables and the like.

v"Assuming that the parts are positioned substantially as illustrated, the@` application of pressure toiA afdented 'automobileldoorfpanel canl beI Aaccomplished a'slshownf-in TFigure i4? The' 4complete soi witlf'i'fthehanvil" base 'corl'fi'onting r the door frame'. The assembly is positioned.byrmeansiof'thechains 64 iso? that@ the v-dome-shapedsection "44Y off the Slitowardthe headmemb'er F01 andi causes they armil to pivotabout its! 'hinge'. `When the metal' panel has'beenforced?outward by'this: adjustable reforming-anvil; themetal, iff-necessary', mayfbeV pounded ir'iI-o'Y srno'otlinesswithll rubber malletsl orl otheri'levelling tools.

'f Because ofY "the`Al features "described above; the'- deirice is-"particularly 'usefull vfor handling of'` A minor repairs, where,y iffthe damagedmetal panel is' not removed4 the-f straightening tool mustbe inserted in jrelatvely' inaccessible places and mustbe capable` of a" delicate control' ofA the exe l pansivefrce.

'jWe claim:

11. Apparatusfor exerting-'straightening pres'-V sure onyi e'1`dabl'e deformed metal surfaces comofa-lead screw-journaled in therend" wall ofV channel? and extendingthrough theh'eadl member; sai'd screw operatively f engaging.y said dolly', a' coupling'securedhtothelead screw-at saidi'head' member; fand'fmeans. engaging said couplingr'by means off which saidifleadiscrew may befrotatd-'soasito causesaid dolly tomoveva'long said' channel.v

Apparatusvfforf exerting expansiveforce'i on.

yi ablecmetal'zsurfa'ces comprisingffa basehavingta Achanneliiclo'sed'f.ati one: end" by a wall, a

head member: 'closingt theother end of said' base" amiiiprovided? with: an arcuate recess adjacent aj-protrudingfhin'ge'; surface', aLspreader arm havingf'means: cooperating-with the hin'gesurface and recessfoff said head member, means movable in said channel and engageable with/said. arm

are-.in'f-mesh; Thelsectfon 54 iszanunthreaded; 753 along: the-.length thereof fm: movingand main- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number kUNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Mallove June l, 1920 Zahner Mar. 17, 1936 Countryman Nov. 11, 1941 Pfauser May 12, 1942 Mandl Sept. 15, 1942 Fries July 4, 1944 Ferguson et al Aug. 17, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain May 26, 1927 

